World Youth Day improves appreciation of Christ
The B.C. Catholic
My experience at World Youth Day (WYD) taught me a profound lesson about love.
I was one of 2 million pilgrims from around the world who made their way to Krakow, Poland, at the end of July. Over the course of the pilgrimage I also made new friends, experienced new sights, and learned more about my Catholic faith.
Attending World Youth Day taught me to appreciate Christ within the people in my life. Because of the international nature of the pilgrimage, many individuals I got to know lived continents away, making our meetings once-in-a-lifetime experiences. But despite the brief nature of our friendships, they still leave a mark on my heart.
“Dear young people, you have come to Krak¢w to meet Jesus,” Pope Francis said during his July 31 homily at Campus Misericordiae, the field where he celebrated Mass. Throughout the course of this trip, the Holy Father was right: I have come to see Jesus through the kindness of regular people.
During our trip, our group stayed with Polish families in the city of Gdansk for the Days in the Dioceses portion of World Youth Day. The host families belonged to Najswietszego Serca Jezusowego (Sacred Heart) Parish.
Olek and Magda Neyman, a young couple with two daughters, Ania and Monika, and another child on the way, hosted my brother Jacob and I. They took care of us as though we were members of their family. Despite us being total strangers, they provided for us with love and care.
The family went out of their way to give my brother and I a Polish experience. Magda cooked a variety of traditional Polish dishes, such as Polish kielbasa (sausage), zurek (sour rye soup), and zupa pomidorowa (tomato soup). Olek taught us about the city of Gdansk and offered an insider’s view of Polish life. The two girls, Ania and Monika, entertained us with many games.
We were part of their family for seven days, and they made the city of Gdansk feel like our home. When it came time to say goodbye, Jacob rubbed his eyes and complained about the rain, even though the night was clear.
After a long trek on foot from Campus Misericordiae, our group managed to all squeeze on to a packed bus to Krakow. There we met a group of American pilgrims from Minnesota.
On my pilgrimage I saw Christ in every person who exhibited mercy and love for others. I saw Christ in the Neyman family. I witnessed Him on crowded trains and buses. I saw a glimpse of Him in Pope Francis’s smile when he spoke at random to people arriving at Blonia Park. And of course, I saw Christ in the 30 pilgrims I travelled with for the three weeks of my trip.
I was blessed to travel with an amazing group of people from three parishes: Our Lady of Fatima, Coquitlam; St. Joseph’s, Port Moody; and Canadian Martyrs, Richmond. While dealing with the stress of long walks, weather issues, and injuries, the group stayed strong and supportive.
The small acts of kindness I experienced along the way showed me God’s love and existence in every single human being. At the end of the day, isn’t that what WYD is all about?
